In the appeal filed on May 14, lawyers for Beatrice Munyenyezi said the evidence submitted in the case wasn't sufficiently reliable to lead to a conviction.

The defense said there was evidence presented in the trial that showed there is strong social pressure for Rwandans to make incriminating statements about anyone accused of participating in the genocide, regardless of whether they actually participated.

The appeal also claims that other evidence shouldn't have been allowed in the trial.

Defense lawyers also said in the appeal that the sentence that was imposed was too severe. They said jurors might have convicted Munyenyezi after concluding that she was associated with the MRND, the political party that carried out the genocide. But the maximum sentence that was imposed presumed that she participated directly in the genocide, according to the appeal.

Munyenyzi was sentenced in July. An earlier trial on the charges ended with a mistrial.